


Drying Dishes 2: Kissing Boogaloo

by Rainbowfootsteps



Category: Kamen Rider Ryuki
Genre: Canon Compliant, First Kiss, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, shinji is so stupid hes sooo stupid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:14:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29426553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbowfootsteps/pseuds/Rainbowfootsteps
Summary: haha gay
Relationships: Akiyama Ren/Kido Shinji
Kudos: 7





	Drying Dishes 2: Kissing Boogaloo

‘Man, my boss is working me to the bone…’

Shinji slotted the sudsy plate into the drying rack and sighed. ‘And it’s all super boring stories. Like, Reiko is investigating real crimes and stuff!’

‘I thought you liked investigating golden crawfish,’ Yui teased. She picked up the plate and started to dry it. They’d gone through these motions enough times that it was totally natural, the flow of porcelian back to their resting place after a long and weary day. Soft sunlight warmed Shinji’s auburn hair and danced over his brown eyes.

‘Yeah, it’s cool, I guess…’ Shinji sighed again dramatically, prompting Yui to laugh and lightly thwack him with her tea towel. 

‘Hey!’

‘Stop being dramatic!’

Shinji chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. ‘Okay, okay… It does kinda feel like they undervalue me, though. Like… I know I’m kinda dumb, but I try my best.’

Yui nodded sagely. ‘You do,’ she confirmed. A shrewd smile flickered over her face. 

‘What’s so funny?’ 

‘Oh, um – nothing..!’ Yui struggled to hide her smile as she returned to the quickly mounting plates. Shinji narrowed his eyes.

‘I’m dumb, not blind!’

Yui chuckled again, then nodded slightly.

‘Okay, okay,’ she relented. ‘It’s just that you do try your best, and that’s what makes you so nice. Especially when it comes to other people It’d be nice if some other people could be like that.’

‘What, like Ren?’

‘Hey, Ren is trying, he’s just… Ren.’ Shinji replied quickly. 

‘That’s what I mean, though! The number of times he’s pushed you away, and you still defend him.’

Yui smiled – a complex, knowing look in her eyes. ‘Even if everyone understands how he feels, except you.’

‘How he… feels?’ Shinji echoed. Yui’s eyes widened, and she hurriedly walked to put a plate away.

‘Oh, um, you know.’ She blustered. ‘Anyway, tell me about the golden crawfish!’

* * *

Only a sliver of sunlight remained on the horizon, straining between the black silhouettes of buildings and trees. It flushed Shinji’s room a murky orange, everything not in the light dissolving into 

darkness. He sat on the edge of his bed, mind racing.

Everyone understands how he feels, except you.

What did that mean? Was he missing something? Yui was right, he didn’t understand Ren – but he figured nobody did. That was Ren’s whole thing; being an asshole and not dealing with his problems was  
his usual state. But Yui could tell something that he couldn’t.

Was it a girl thing?

No, probably not.

Maybe?

His musing was disturbed by the sound of footsteps on the staircase. He could tell from the slow, precise weight of each step who it was.

The door opened. Ren walked into the room, slung his leather jacket on his bed. He didn’t even bother unlacing his boots before flopping down on his bed, fingers laced behind his head.

‘You were supposed to help clean up after dinner.’ Shinji mumbled.

‘Something came up,’ Ren replied airily. ‘Not that it’s your business.’

Shinji bit his lip. He looked at his hands, resting on his knees, gripping each other in a façade of interpersonal comfort. Everyone understands how Ren feels, except him? That can’t be right.  
Maybe the best way to find out was simply to be direct. It was how he approached most of his other problems.

‘Ren…’ Shinji began, then trailed off. What was he even supposed to say? Ren didn’t respond.

‘Um… So…’

‘I want to know how you really feel.’  
.  
.  
.  
‘Feel about what?’

‘Uh… Me, I guess?’ Maybe it was about him. Did Ren secretly super extra hate him?

Ren shifted. His eyes slid to bore into Shinji. Shinji squirmed uncomfortably, a nervous smile spreading on his face.

‘Just, you know, I think, uh, everyone knows something I don’t. About you.’

‘There’s a lot you don’t know.’

‘…’

Shinji glanced at the setting sun. Ren wasn’t lying down any more. He was sitting up, long legs swung over the edge of his mattress.

‘How do you feel about me, then?’ Ren challenged. 

‘Well, you’re rude, and stubborn, and you don’t help out in the café enough… But you’re still my friend. I want to understand you. So you’ll let me in, you know.’ Shinji murmured. 

‘I like you too.’

Shinji blinked.

‘WHAT?’

Ren snorted. ‘Isn’t that what you wanted to hear?’

‘I – wh- don’t be mean like that!’ Shinji spluttered. ‘Man, Yui was right, I’m never gonna understand you…’

‘I wasn’t joking.’

‘…What?’

Shinji’s eyes flitted back to lock with Ren’s. His gaze was inscrutable. His messy, spikey hair was slightly matted on one side. It was endearing, softening his sharp exterior. His usually harsh expression was… different. Softer. It worried Shinji.

‘Man, you’re dumb,’ Ren said with a sigh. ‘Okay. I don’t… I don’t know a better way to explain, so I’ll just show you. Maybe that would get through your damn thick skull.’

Ren stood up. Shinji hurriedly stood up too, tensing up a little bit. Were they about to fight? The height gap between him and Ren seemed to have impossibly grown.

Ren leant towards him. 

The sun slipped beneath the horizon. Day turned to dusk, enclosing them in soft blue darkness.

Shinji felt Ren’s lips on his.

The kiss was awkward and short. Ren was hesitant, pulling away almost as soon as it began. Shinji blinked, his eyes wide. They stood in silence for a long, heavy moment. Ren broke the silence by cursing under his breath.

‘If you want me to move out, I will,’ He muttered, turning away.

‘N-no,’ Shinji managed to squeak out. His voice broke, the last of his strength escaping him. Ren stared at him. He’d never seen Ren so emotional, so… vulnerable. Even in the dusky twilight he could see the fear in Ren’s eyes – now he understood. 

Shinji fumbled for Ren’s arm, grabbed his hand, stared at it for a second. Ren’s hand was calloused, rough, gangly. He’d never held it before. 

‘Don’t move out.’ It came out as barely a whisper.

Ren searched his eyes. Shinji inhaled, exhaled. He leant forward.

Their second kiss was much better than the first. Ren’s lips were soft, his tongue insistent, and Shinji felt a peculiar sensation welling up inside him. He’d never even considered this, this action, this possibility, and it was amazing. It felt right. 

They ended up on Shinji’s bed, fingers entwined, limbs tangled together. Shinji understood how he felt now. In a way, he always had.

**Author's Note:**

> shinji/ren is canon


End file.
